“The
pungent garlic flavors become dense and sweet in this simple
dish created
for my bistro-style restaurant, Alva. The oven-dried
tomatoes can be made
a few
days in advance and stored, airtight,
at room temperature.”

Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash
and dry tomatoes. Cut them in half, lengthwise, and season to taste with
salt and pepper. Place on a wire rack on a small baking sheet in preheated
oven. Lower heat to 175 degrees F. and roast for 8 hours, or
until almost
completely dry. Remove from oven and set aside.
Raise
oven heat to 325 degrees F.
Separate
cloves from garlic bulbs. Toss cloves in 2 tablespoons of olive
oil. Place
them in a small baking dish and roast for 18 minutes, or until
very soft.
Peel each clove and divide the peeled cloves in half. Purée and
reserve
one half. Set remaining half aside.
Cut
and bone chicken breasts. [Cookbook contains detailed instructions,
with
photographs, for “breaking down poultry”.] Using a boning knife,
carefully cut down into the thighbones. Cut against the bones to detach
the meat from the bones. Life meat away from bones. Trim off any
cartilage
or excess fat. Pat dry.
Rub
garlic purée into the skin of all chicken pieces. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.
Wash
and dry arugula and spinach well. Set aside.
Heat
1 1/2 tablespoons of corn oil in each of two large sauté pans over medium
heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down. Tilting the pans from time
to time
to distribute the fat evenly, cook for10 minutes, or until skin is
golden-brown and crusty. Turn and cook for 8 minutes, or until chicken
is
golden-brown and just cooked through, draining pan if excess fat builds
up. Remove chicken from pan and drain on paper towels. Cover lightly
and
keep warm.
Return
both pans to medium heat. Place stock, reserved whole garlic
cloves,
butter, and parsley in one pan. Raise heat and cook for 5 minutes,
or
until slightly thickened. Place arugula and spinach in the remaining pan,
adding
no more than 2 tablespoons of olive oil, if necessary, to coat the
greens lightly. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until just softened. Taste and
adjust
seasoning in both pans with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes to sauce
and simmer for 30 seconds.
Place
greens in the center of a warm platter. Slightly overlap the chicken
pieces, alternating a breast and a thigh, around the edge of the bed of
greens. Spoon sauce over the chicken, placing a tomato on top of each
chicken piece. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.